The National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) is a global, non-profit organization that promotes safety standards, education, training, and advocacy on fire and electrical-related hazards. Established in 1896 as a way to standardize the use of fire sprinkler systems, the NFPA’s scope grew to include building design, rescue response, electrical codes, and other safety concerns.

The widely identifiable NFPA diamond is a type of safety sign that emergency responders use to quickly identify dangers posed by hazardous materials. The sign, with the meaning of its colors and numbers, is part of a larger standard maintained by the NFPA.

As part of a greater outreach program, the NFPA sponsors Fire Prevention Week every October. This national program’s goal is to increase fire and electrical safety awareness by highlighting a specific safety topic each year.

The NFPA hazard rating system is part of NFPA 704: Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response. NFPA 704 defines a code of colors, numbers, and symbols for emergency personnel to identify hazardous materials. Learn more about these codes here.

What are the NFPA color codes?

The NFPA color codes for the NFPA 704 standard identify the type of hazard that a material presents. The colors used are blue, red, and yellow, and each stand for a unique type of hazard. Learn more...

What is NFPA 704?

NFPA 704: Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response is a safety standard that defines how hazardous materials are identified for emergency responders. Learn more...

What is NFPA 170?

NFPA 170: Standard for Fire Safety and Emergency Symbols is a safety standard that defines fire safety, emergency, and other related safety symbols for use in signage, diagrams, and plans. Learn more...

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